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22 February 2024
Pre Budget Submission Consultation
Consultation with members about the soon to be released NCOSS Pre Budget Submission continues. We want to make sure that we have clearly captured the needs and experiences of our members in this important submission to Government. Read more about this process in NCOSS News below and look out for the final document in the coming weeks.
Community Mental Health Inquiry
Last week I attended a public hearing of an inquiry into the delivery of community mental health care in NSW. The inquiry heard from community mental health organisations, social workers and suicide prevention bodies about the equity of access to outpatient mental health services. The committee also held a public hearing in
Lismore to hear first-hand about the disaster recovery journey of the local community.
NCOSS policy lead Andrea Angeles and I presented three recommendations. These included wellbeing support programs for mental health care workers; five-year contracts for community-managed mental health organisations; and adequate indexation for community managed organisations.
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Caption: NCOSS policy lead Andrea Angeles and NCOSS CEO Cara Varian.
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Independent Panel on Gaming Reform
Last Friday, I attended a workshop held by the Independent Panel on Gaming Reform. This panel was established to develop a roadmap for gaming reform. At the workshop we discussed the important issues that need to be considered to ensure successful and meaningful reform in NSW that includes the reduction of gambling harm.
Public School Funding
Yesterday I joined with the peak social service bodies across Australia in writing to Federal Minister for Education, Jason Clare, regarding the funding gap for public schools.
This letter, signed by ACOSS and all the state COSS bodies, requested the federal government work with state and territory governments to fully fund public schools with at least a
25% contribution from the federal government to achieve the School Resources Standard by 2028.
Currently there is a $1.9 billion funding gap for public schools. Without adequate funding, disadvantaged children in the public system risk falling further behind their peers, further embedding inequality in Australia. Read the full media release in NCOSS in the News below.
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Take part in the NCOSS membership review
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Our first focus group kicks off this morning in the Blue Mountains. We're looking to hear from NCOSS members about your experience as part of our membership review.
More focus group sessions are being held in the Illawarra/Shoalhaven, Sydney and online in the coming weeks. To be part of the consulation process, please RSVP at the location of your choice at this link.
Date: Thursday 22 Feb
Region: Blue Mountains
Time: 9.30am – 11.30am
Address: Blue Mountains City Council. 2 Civic Place Katoomba NSW 2780
Date: Monday 26 Feb
Region: Illawarra / Shoalhaven
Time: 12.30pm – 2.30pm
Address: Berry School of Arts. 19 Alexandra St, Berry NSW 2535
Date: Monday March 4
Region: Sydney
Time: 10am-12pm
Address: NSW Council of Social Service. Gadigal Country. Yirranma Place, Level 1, 262 Liverpool Street. Darlinghurst NSW 2010
Online focus group
Date: Monday March 4
Region: All regions
Time 3pm – 5pm
Location ZOOM video conferencing
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NCOSS is currently finalising our Pre- Budget Submission for the NSW Government. We are calling on the government to Choose a Better Future, take action and make significant investments across five key areas. These are: Cost of Living, Housing and Homelessness, Children Young People and Families, Self Determination for First Nations Peoples, and Social Sector Sustainability.
In preparing this submission, we consulted widely. We have talked to the NCOSS Lived Experience Panel, the Regional Members Meeting, the Forum of Non-Government Agencies, the NCOSS First Nations Partners and Advisors Group, the NCOSS Multicultural Working Group, and our partner peaks to make sure our recommendations are targeted and aligned with the sector.
We will be sending all members a draft copy on Monday 26 February and inviting you to endorse the submission by Friday 1 March. There will be a dedicated endorsement page on our website for you to sign on and upload your logo.
Please put this important action in your diary and watch out for the email from us!
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Disaster Readiness for the Community Sector
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The Community Sector Disaster Capability Teams in Northern Rivers and Hawkesbury are holding disaster capability building events for community service organisations in the coming weeks.
Disaster Ready Together Summit
When: Thursday 7 and Friday 8 March
Where: Southern Cross University, Lismore
The Disaster Ready Together Summit is an opportunity for the Northern Rivers community service sector to come together with leading practitioners (both national and regional) to hear the
latest ideas and innovations in disaster resilience, emergency management and risk reduction. The programme includes keynote speakers, panels of local service providers, presentations and interactive workshops. There will also be a 'Resilience Lane' where people can browse booths full of useful resources from relevant organisations.
Registrations are open here: https://events.humanitix.com/disaster-ready-together-summit.
Disaster Scenario Symposium
When: Wednesday, 20 March, 8:30am – 1:30pm
Where: Hawkesbury Leisure and Learning Centre, 114 March Street, Richmond
A breakfast for community service providers, including:
- Mock emergency run through
- Addressing some of the common disaster misconceptions
- An opportunity to ask questions of the processes during the disaster
- Working collaboratively and networking for improved future disaster outcomes
Limited availability, RSVP via this link: https://www.trybooking.com/CPAWM
The Community Sector Disaster Capability Project is funded under the joint Australian Government – NSW Government National Partnership Agreement on Disaster Risk Reduction, through the Local
and Regional Stream of the Disaster Risk Reduction Fund.
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Shepparton News: "Homeless hotspots on the rise with soaring rents"
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NCOSS CEO Cara Varian was quoted in this article about the increasing rate of homelessness in places where rents are increasing.
Shepparton News wrote: 'The peak body for NSW social services, NCOSS, has also reported more people were looking for help.
"Our members are
also seeing new clients they previously have not seen before, including people working multiple jobs but still struggling to get by," chief executive Cara Varian said.'
Read the full article here.
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Media release: "Peak body calls for action on public school funding"
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Peak NSW social services body NCOSS has called on both the Commonwealth Government and NSW Government to work together to swiftly resolve the $1.9 billion funding gap for
public schools.
The new NCOSS CEO Cara Varian said it’s time for action.
"We have numerous reports over many years that all point to the fact that you cannot break the cycle of poverty without a good public education system,” Ms Varian said.
Read the full media release here.
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Portable Long-Service Leave
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Caption: Image of people holding signs with text: "Securing Portable Long Service Leave for Community and Disability Workers."
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The Australian Services Union is campaigning for portable long service leave for community and disability workers in NSW.
This means that you can
access paid long service leave even if you changed jobs within the sector.
Portable long service leave acknowledges that community and disability sector workers experience high stress, often work in crisis and experience burn out as a result. Too many workers are on short-term contracts or have to change jobs due to changes in government funding.
In NSW, teachers and nurses have portable long service leave. Community and disability workers in other states already have access to this leave.
Right now, union organisers are holding workplace meetings to ensure that we have the critical sector support necessary to finally win portable long service leave. Find out more here.
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| NSW Parliamentary Friends of Neighbourhood Centres
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Caption: MPs at the launch of the Parliamentary Friends of Neighbourhood Centres. Photo by Maddy Williams.
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A NSW Parliamentary Friends of Neighbourhood Centres was launched on February 8 to support the work that Neighbourhood and Community Centres do in communities across NSW.
It will be chaired by Anthony D'Adam (Labor), Jenny Leong MP (Greens) and James Griffin MP (Liberal).
Can Yasmut, Executive Officer of Local Community Services Association, welcomed the formation and said in a statement: “NCCs in NSW form an essential social infrastructure network, embedded in communities across the state, that facilitate social connection, belonging and community empowerment.
"We are heartened to find strong support for NCCs across the
political aisle through the Friendship Group. LCSA looks forward to working with the Friendship Group to pursue better recognition and resourcing of NCCs, including ongoing and sustainable core funding”, he said.
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| Free THRIVE Training for Mentally Healthy Employment
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Caption: Image of a woman with long dark hair smiling with text reading: "Thrive. Job Seekers and employees."
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Neami National’s THRIVE program provides free online training to help job seekers experiencing mental health challenges and/or psychosocial disability understand how to find and maintain work.
The program was codesigned with people with a lived experience.
THRIVE is open to people aged 18-65 whose experience of employment has been impacted by mental health challenges and/or psychosocial disability.
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| Strategic Grants Knowledge Centre
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Caption: Image of a person sitting in front of a computer screen.
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Strategic Grants has updated its Grants Expertise Management System (GEMS).
Subscribers will now also receive:
- Your Grant Calendar’s customised list of grant categories
- Your online Best Practice Tracker (including a chart to see how you are tracking over time and where you need additional resourcing)
- Full key word searches, to easily locate the exact advice and information you need
- A comprehensive video library, containing everything from tips to getting the most out of GEM Portal to the latest sector information direct from funders and our grant strategists.
Strategic Grants are also taking its grant-seeker workshops on tour, visiting Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Sydney in May. Find out more information here: Sydney Best Practice Grant-seeker Workshop - Strategic Grants.
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Our award-winning Lessons in Disaster training will help you understand:
- The distinct experiences of women, men, and LGBTIQA+ people during disasters.
- How gender roles often expect men to protect and provide while women are expected to prioritise nurturing others at the expense of their own safety.
- That LGBTIQA+ people’s needs are frequently overlooked in disaster situations.
-That applying a gendered lens at every stage of disaster leads to stronger and more inclusive communities in recovery.
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This free webinar provides practical information for community workers and volunteers wanting to assist clients with Centrelink debt matters. Speakers will explain common reasons debts may be raised and give an overview of
measures you can take to check that there really is a debt and/or the amount of the debt has been calculated correctly.
The session will cover how to appeal decisions that are incorrect or seem unfair, negotiating repayments, garnishee actions and possible criminal prosecution.
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IWD Webinar: Calling Out Portrayals of Older Women in Popular Culture
7 March, Online
Free | Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/freedom-in-language
Hosted by the Older Women's Network. Presenters include journalist Jane Gilmore and the Citizen Researchers documenting representations of older women.
The seminar is for everyone - including service providers who want to better understand the experiences and needs of older women or take a gender lens to their work with older women. The seminar is also for older women and for community leaders who are passionate about equality for older women.
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Elsie Conference
15-16 March, UTS Sydney
$660 | Register here: Elsie Conference | Register
The Elsie Conference marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Elsie Women’s Refuge, and the start of the women’s refuge movement in Australia.
It will delve into the history of refuges and look to the future challenges faced by anyone working in or making policy for the sector.
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Mercy Foundation’s Social Justice Small Grants Program
Closing date: 11 March 2024
The Mercy Foundation is now accepting applications for its Social Justice Small Grants Program. Grants up to $10,000 are available for community initiatives addressing social justice issues at the grass roots.
Find out more: https://bit.ly/3rNgw9H or contact the Mercy Foundation on 02 9911 7390.
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Women NSW: Return to Work Pathways Program
Closing date: 11 March 2024
The funding can be used to implement tailored projects that work to decrease the barriers that prevent women re-entering the workforce. Projects will support women to gain employment by providing wrap-around support including training, mentoring and pathways to employment.
Find out more: 2024 Return to Work Pathways Program | NSW Government
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Lesbians Incorporated Community Grants
Closing date: 22 March 2024
Projects may aim to benefit the lesbian community in general or one or more groups within the lesbian community. Groups may be racial, cultural, geographic, or may have specific identified needs or shared interests and concerns.
For more information, visit the grant information page.
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NSW Justice Reinvestment Grant
Closing Date: 18 March 2024
The Justice Reinvestment grant program has been created to provide funding for community-led programs that focus on reinvesting in Aboriginal communities to reduce contact with the criminal justice system.
For more information, visit the grant information page.
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Caption: Text reading "Closing Soon!"
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Aboriginal Affairs NSW Cultural Grants Program
Closing Date: 26 February 2024
The Aboriginal Affairs NSW Cultural Grants Program supports Aboriginal community organisations across NSW to
celebrate Aboriginal culture and hold key cultural events and activities.
For more information, visit the grant information page.
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Building Digital Skills grant
Closing Date: 1 March, 2024
Building Digital Skills grants of up to $10,000 help organisations to support older Australians 50+ through free digital mentoring sessions. If you work with people with disability, First Nations communities, people from CALD communities or living in very regional or remote areas of Australia, you may be eligible for our specialist grants!
For more information, visit the grant information page.
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Some of the latest from our Jobs Board:
Reception Administration Officer (Sydney-wide) - NSW STARTTS - VIEW JOB
Aged Care Advocate (South West & Western Sydney) - Seniors Rights Service - VIEW JOB
Regional Youth Worker (Illawarra, South Coast) - NSW STARTTS - VIEW JOB
Manager AOD and Outreach (Inner City Sydney) - The Haymarket Foundation - VIEW JOB
Experienced Domestic & Family Violence Counsellor (Inner West Sydney) - The Gender Centre Inc - VIEW JOB
Case Manager - Specialist Homelessness Services (Moruya) - Anglicare - VIEW JOB
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NCOSS gives its members the opportunity to share their stories, research, resources, events and more through NCOSS eNews. If you have something to share with the sector, send through a short blurb (50-70 words), image (250 x 250px) and relevant links to info@ncoss.org.au.
We will endeavour to add it to an edition of NCOSS e-News (goes out every fortnight on Thursday morning). Deadline for content is 5:00pm on Monday, the week of publication. The next deadline is Monday, 4 March 2024.
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| NCOSS gratefully acknowledges the support of
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Share our eNews to your communities
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